Casting cleaning



p 26, 1967 N. c. HOWERY ETAL 3,343,986

.CASTING CLEANING Filed Aug. 20, 1963 NELSON C. HOWE/P) SPEED REDUC R Nmm W Am "xPo T ENm WW Wm M 3 m ATTORNEYS United States Patent O3,343,986 CASTING CLEANING Nelson C. Howery, Allen Park, William J.Theisen, .Ir., Southfield, and Royal A. Van Patten, Dearborn, Micln,assignors to Ford Motor Company, Dear-born, Mich, a corporation ofDelaware Filed Aug. 20, 1963, Ser. No. 303,370 2 Claims. (Cl. 1346)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A process for removing flash from a castingby mounting the casting such that the central axis thereof is coplanarwith but at a slight angle, for example degrees, with respect to thecentral axis of a rotatable member which supports flailing elementsthereon. As the member is rotated, the elements are extended to aposition whereat they both engage and apply a force on the flash on thecasting at an acute angle to cause the removal thereof.

This invention relates to a process for cleaning castings and, moreparticularly, to the cleaning of castings which may be convenientlyrotated to expose their entire surface to cleaning contacts. Thisinvention has been perfected especially for cleaning internal combustionengine crankshafts and camshafts and will be described in connectionwith such usage.

The effectiveness of the process of this invention is dependent upon thecleaning action of flailing members which are brought into contact withthe surface of the casting to be cleaned by centrifugal force. Theseflailing members are preferably short lengths of steel chain, althoughthe invention is by no means so limited. It is clear that any flexibleflailing element which is abrasion resistant may be substituted for thechains. For example, steel cable either alone or coated with an abrasionresistant elastomer may be employed. Similarly, a chain may be enclosedin an abrasion resistant elastomer tube to enhance its durability andcleaning effectiveness in this process.

The operation of this invention is best understood by a study of thedrawing which is a perspective diagrammatic view of an apparatusactually employed in the execution of this inventionv The crankshaft tobe cleaned is suspended so that it is capable of rotation. In thestructure shown, the rotation is effected by hand through the agency ofa T-shaped handle seen above the crankshaft.

Adjacent the crankshaft is mounted a power-driven rotating member whichsupports numerous short lengths of steel chain. The axis of revolutionof the casting to be cleaned and the axis of revolution of the rotatingmember may be parallel, although it is preferred that these axes bemounted at a slight angle to each other. In any event, these two axesshould be so located that the entire surface of the casting to becleaned will be contacted by the steel chains acting as flexibleflailing members.

Centrifugal force tends to cause the chains to assure a radial positionwith reference to the axis of the rotating member. In this positionthese chains flail the rotating 'ice casting and effectively remove allsuch detritus as sand, scale and flash.

The exact location of the chains on the rotating member is not critical,provided adequate coverage of the surface of the casting is obtained. Inthe actual operation of this process the chains were spaced about theperiphery of the rotating member spaced apart by one hundred twentydegrees. The rotating member and the attached flailing chains wererotated in the speed range of 400 to 600 rpm. At a rotating member speedof 480 r.p.m. a speed of rotation of the crankshaft of 3 r.p.m. wasfound to be most effective. The chains employed were 4% inch Klengthsfabricated from SAE 4615 inch diameter wire,

18 links per foot With a case hardness of 40 to 45 Rockwell C and a corehardness of 36 Rockwell C.

Improved cleaning action is obtained if the angle between the axis ofthe rotating member and the axis of the crankshaft be set at about tendegrees. The angular axis between the casting and the rotatable memberpermits the flailing elements to develop a centrifugal down or up forceagainst the surface of the flash rather than striking the edge of theflash as would be the case if the two axes were parallel. The angularaction allows a greater breaking force to be applied to the flash by theelements and results in a more efficient cleaning and/or flash removaloperation.

We claim as our invention:

1. A process for removing flash from a casting having a central axiswhich comprises the steps of: mounting said casting such that thecentral axis thereof is coplanar with but at a slight angle with respectto the central axis of a rotatable member, said rotatable member havinga plurality of flailing elements thereon, rotating said member to extendsaid flailing elements to a position normal to said central axis of saidmember so that said flailing elements strike the flash on said castingat said slight angle relative to the normal to said central axis of saidcasting, and rotating said casting about said central axis thereof sothat the entire surface area of said casting supporting flash isrepositioned, such that said flailing elements engage the flash at saidslight angle thereby to create on said engaged flash a breaking forcewhich has a direction other than normal to said central axis of saidcasting so that said flash is removed from said casting.

2. A process for removing flash from a casting as defined in claim 1wherein said slight angle is 10.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 111,086 1/1871 Reilly 15-891,373,871 4/1921 Dutton. 1,597,332 8/1926 Waddell et a1. 2981 2,181,30611/1939 Osborn 29-81 X FOREIGN PATENTS 613,890 12/1948 Great Britain.

JOSEPH SCOVRONEK, Acting Primary Examiner.

MORRIS O. WOLK, Examiner.

I. ZATARGA, Assistant Examiner.

1. A PROCESS FOR REMOVING FLASH FROM A CASTING HAVING A CENTRAL AXISWHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: MOUNTING SAID CASTING SUCH THAT THECENTRAL AXIS THEREOF IS COPLANAR WITH BUT AT A SLIGHT ANGLE WITH RESPECTTO THE CENTRAL AXIS OF A ROTATABLE MEMBER, SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER HAVINGA PLURALITY OF FLAILING ELEMENTS THEREON, ROTATING SAID MEMBER TO EXTENDSAID FLAILING ELEMENTS TO A POSITION NORMAL TO SAID CENTRAL AXIS OF SAIDMEMBER SO THAT SAID FLAILING ELEMENTS STRIKE THE FLASH ON SAID CASTINGAT SAID SLIGHT ANGLE RELATIVE TO THE NORMAL TO SAID CENTRAL AXIS OF SAIDCASTING, AND ROTATING SAID CASTING ABOUT SAID CENTRAL AXIS THEREOF SOTHAT THE ENTIRE SURFACE AREA OF SAID CASTING SUPPORTING FLASH ISREPOSITIONED, SUCH THAT SAID FLAILING ELEMENTS ENGAGE THE FLASH AT SAIDSLIGHT ANGLE THEREBY TO CREATE ON SAID ENGAGED FLASH A BREAKING FORCEWHICH HAS A DIRECTION OTHER THAN NORMAL TO SAID CENTRAL AXIS OF SAIDCASTING SO THAT SAID FLALSH IS REMOVED FROM SAID CASTING.